Florida gave subsidy to gun maker as part of job creation package

In Florida, Republican Governor Rick Scott hailed an
incentive for the West Hartford, Connecticut-based Colt
Manufacturing Co. in 2011 saying it showed the state was “a
defender of our right to bear arms.” The deal, for 63 jobs, was
worth about $1.66 million in state and local incentives,
according to Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic
development arm. The agreement penalizes the company $50,000 if
it doesn’t produce all the jobs.

Frank Attkisson, a commissioner in Osceola County, which
provided incentives, said it was a “sweetheart deal” for Colt
and that the county would put tougher controls on future
subsidies.

Florida state Senator Nancy Detert, the Republican
chairwoman of the Commerce Committee, said she’s crafting
legislation to make it more difficult to provide incentives for
companies that don’t specialize in science and technology. She
said she doesn’t want Florida to be known for gun manufacturing.

“We need to be a lot more careful and decide what kind of
state we envision,” Detert said.